Director Jia Zhangke: Spreading the spirit of Guan Gong across the world

Renowned Chinese film director Jia Zhangke delivered a video speech at the International Youth Dialogue on Loyalty and Honor Without Borders in Yuncheng, North China's Shanxi province, calling on young people to carry forward the spirit of Guan Gong and spread it across the globe.

Guan Gong, a legendary general from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), was born in Yuncheng. In the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, his heroic feats — such as "crossing five passes and slaying six generals" and "flooding the seven armies" — showcase extraordinary valor. Widely revered by the Chinese people as the incarnation of loyalty and righteousness, his moral legacy has shaped the spiritual character of the Chinese nation for thousands of years and grown into an influential cross-cultural symbol worldwide.

A native of Shanxi province, Jia shared that, as a filmmaker, he has long explored the complexity and depth of human nature in his works, with loyalty and righteousness serving as core themes guiding his creative thinking. In his acclaimed film Mountains May Depart, the iconic scene of a young man striding through bustling streets with Guan Gong's signature guandao (a traditional long-handled halberd) is the most symbolic expression of this loyalty complex, reflecting how the ancient hero's spirit lives on in modern society.

According to Jia, the dialogue event carries a twofold mission: to inherit the traditional culture of loyalty and righteousness, and to explore how this enduring spirit can take on a new life in the context of globalization. He noted that young people are the builders of the future and inheritors of culture, encouraging them to embrace the spirit of loyalty and righteousness across different civilizations with an open mind, and integrate such values into modern life in their own ways.

"May young friends carry forward the spirit of loyalty and righteousness, and let it shine with new splendor across the world," Jia concluded.

The four-day campaign held in late September brought together content creators from six countries, including France, Russia, and Thailand, as well as journalists from Chinese and foreign media outlets such as China Daily Website, Voice of Vietnam, and the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Hosted jointly by the Cyberspace Administration of Shanxi province, China Daily Website, and the Yuncheng municipal government, the campaign featured immersive cultural experiences across Taiyuan, Pingyao, and Yuncheng. Participants visited time-honored Guan Gong temples, ancient merchant culture heritage sites, and intangible cultural heritage workshops, while enjoying extended reality productions and traditional opera performances themed on Guan Gong culture.